Together as Equals Again
by The NHK Ambassador
Summary: Alternate Universe Setting (More details within the story) Mami Tomoe & Kyoko Sakura severed ties with each other because they could no longer see each other as equals. But after Mami went through yet another lifestyle changing event, perhaps the sempai-kouhai duo can see eye-to-eye once more! (Note to veterans: This is a side story to Project Concept Road!)
1. Together as Equals Again

**Before the Meeting**

One day, on a chilly afternoon, a lone girl decides to sit on top of a tall water tower. She watches over Kasamino City with the eyes of a vulture. Kyoko Sakura takes two fingertips and lightly brushes the surface of her ruby Soul Gem. Its slightly darkened hue serves as an indicator that a purification is in order. But even with a fifty mile radius view of the city, no odd energies attract the red-haired magical girl's attention. At least that was the case...

A powerful energy immediately invades the secluded proximity from her rear. Kyoko suddenly whips around with her guard up.. only to find out that she was not becoming the target of an ambush. On the contrary, the trespasser wore a familiar smiling face belonging to an old friend. For a brief moment, this encounter with the blond-haired magical girl filled her heart with an odd excitement. The memories of their currently bitter terms resurface only a split second later.

"What do you want?"

Kyoko forces a cold stare at her visitor, who reciprocates with a smug grin. Is the expression sinister? Condescending? Not quite - it reeks of confidence much more.

"It's been a while, Kyoko Sakura."

"..."

The nostalgic smile that Mami wears brings Kyoko back to a time where Mami was a mentor to admire - a moment in her life where she was truly happy. These same memories quickly start to agitate her.

"I've been thinking about a lot of things lately," Mami continues. "A lot has changed since our last encounter. I figured I'd come and try to touch base with you if you can spare a minute or two."

Kyoko squints. "What are you talking about? Did you already forget? It's over between us. It's going to stay that way too."

Mami goes on as if unfazed. "We wound up separating because our ideals started to clash over time - ever since that day."

The day Kyoko Sakura lost her family - the day the foundation of Kyoko's binding wish became void.

"You're really trying my patience. Stop talking about old shit, will ya?"

Mami sighs with an air that is ready to get to the point. "Back then, it was impossible for me to accept your new perspective as a valid one. The way you started carrying yourself, and your current outlook of the world around you. But.. things are different now."

"Haha.."

"Kyoko?"

Now Kyoko Sakura bears a wry smile; it is fueled by the belief that this conversation will not last long after all..

"Are you seriously telling me that you've become so desperate for my attention, that you'd go as far as to change your own beliefs? You'd swallow your pride just for a small hope that things between us will go back to the way they were? Not only that, but you think that I'd care? Don't you realize how pathetic that makes you look?"

Mami's grin broadens. "Ah, but it gets better.."

"...?"

There seems to be no stopping the blonde visitor from saying as she pleases. Mami's unnatural reactions to Kyoko's verbal lashes causes the latter to suspect that she finally snapped.

"..What would you think if I told you that I never enjoyed being a magical girl, even for a moment?" Mami starts. "What if all the pride and goodwill you thought I had was all a convincing ruse this entire time? And if any option to stop having to defend my territory ever came, I'd take it without so much as a second thought? You'd question how worthy of a mentor I was from the start, wouldn't you? Maybe you'd even consider me as a hypocrite?"

"What.. What are you saying all of a sudden?"

A flat lie; this is what Kyoko decided. After all, there will most likely never another magical girl so enthusiastic towards hunting witches and familiars alike. The overly righteous views Mami Tomoe has is a dominant part of the character after all!

...

After reading all of Kyoko's colorful expressions and a couple of seagulls gather by her feet, Mami decides to state her clincher. "Kyoko.. an opportunity came to me.. and as a result, I've decided to abandon justice."

"Huh..? You're still not making any sense!" Kyoko shouts impulsively. "Have you lost your marbles already?"

The things Mami is saying is far from what she possibly wants to hear from her. After all, the truth is that Kyoko never wanted Mami to change her viewpoint to begin with.

Mami's expression reverts to a cheerful one. "Ah, that reminds me! I baked a marble cake this morning. You should come to my place and have some later on today. Also, there is a rather odd friend that I'd like you to meet."

"You really have gone insane.." Kyoko mocks as her stomach growls just for the sake of embarrassing her. "..Fine."

* * *

_An odd friend she says? So she managed to make new friends since our separation after all. Perhaps this friend that Mami speaks of has something to do with why she is acting so weird.._

...

"Odd is a bit of an understatement, don't you think?"

"What a memorable first introduction.."

_What is with this dark colored male and his creepy smile? If his clothes weren't so plain and worn, I'd be convinced that Mami befriended the devil himself.._

…

"You should make a contract with this man Kyoko."

"If a magical girl changes contracts from Kyubey to me, the wish that they tied themselves to would be negated. And I know that you of all people would have no problem with that."

_That's a real devil's offer if I ever heard one! No.. no matter how I look at it, Kyubey is the real demon. Even if this is likely to be another scheme, there is not much more that I can lose. But if Mami is the one who set this up.. then maybe.._

...

"I think the ritual failed.."

"Ms. Sakura.. I'm so sorry."

_Damn it.._

* * *

**After the Meeting**

"So that was why your attitude did a total 180..."

The reasoning for Mami's new demeanor started to become apparent to Kyoko. The dark visitor came from afar and freed Mami from Kyubey's curse. It was believed that the same could be done for her. The bittersweet mood for the duo served as great incentive to take a walk together just outside of Mami's home.

"It's still a bit sad," Mami says with disappointment. "I thought I came across a way to save someone that I truly care about for a change. But seeing as though we wound up reunited like this, maybe it wasn't a total loss after all."

"Mami..."

The truth to Kyoko is that even if only one among them can be saved, it does not bother her. She ultimately finds it easier to associate with Mami under these new terms - conditions that allowed the two to understand each other once more.

"Hey, Kyoko," Mami calls softly. "I haven't known them for very long, but may I pay them another visit? Your family that is."

"Yeah."

As the only friend Kyoko ever got to introduce to her late family, there is no reason to deny such a request.

…

Behind the shambles of an abandoned church, they lie; the mother, the father and her little sister Momo. Kyoko did not tread here much since their burial. Assorted memories begin to fill her head and Mami is by her side, hand-in-hand, At this point Kyoko starts to wonder. Does her father finally understand why she became a magical girl? At the very least, can she ever be forgiven? One can only imagine..

"Kyoko," Mami calls while tightening her grip on Kyoko's hand. "You've been doing well on your own by the looks of things, but for the record, the option to come and stay with me still exists.. I just thought I'd throw that out there since neither of us has anything left to prove to each other. Although if you did, I can't honestly say that I'd just let you do as you wish without saying at least a word or two. But..I will no longer try to force my views upon you. After all, you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. Give it at least a little thought, okay, my _kouhai_?"

There was once a time where Kyoko referred to Mami as _sempai_. Although the fond memories were not long ago, the time they spent apart felt like an eternity to both of them. Kyoko declined this offer once before because it was believed that their views began to diverge. But perhaps there is a chance for the two to see each other as equals once more.

"…" Just as Kyoko starts her reply a supernatural distortion is seen in the distance. On the far end of the churchyard, an eerie opal butterfly-like creature hovers inside of a barren backyard. Kyoko impulsively rushes to the boarded house in pursuit of the oddity. Mami watches her in mild surprise.

"Ah, Kyoko. That's just a familiar."

Kyoko fades into the innards of the familiar's labyrinth without hesitation. Mami follows shortly after. The field changes from a semi-deserted neighborhood to a brilliant, unworldly quartz forest. In this setting, Kyoko is swinging her lance vigorously at her opponent. The crystal butterfly is avoiding damage from the spear's tip and multiple sections.

"Kyoko..?" Mami calls. "Why are you attacking a familiar all of a sudden? Did you have a change of heart?"

Kyoko reassembles her weapon into its single form and launches a fierce horizontal swipe at the butterfly. The spear's tip connects and hurdles the familiar into the closest quartz tree. The impact was heavy enough to shatter it into many fine pieces. Kyoko turns around to give a belated answer once the scenery starts to change back to normal.

"A good friend of mine was in trouble," she says. "I heard him just now.."

"Heard.. him?" Mami replies. "Is there someone like _that_ in your life?"

Kyoko hesitates a moment before answering with a peculiar expression. "Yeah. There is someone; someone who appreciates food just as much as I do.. Someone whose heart is pure unlike the family that fled this area and left him behind."

Kyoko gets on all fours and explores a tiny lime green home erected in the deserted backyard. A large yellow beast springs out of the home and pounces Kyoko; it proceeds to lavish her face with its huge wobbly tongue. Mami surveys the den of the beast and notes that Max is written on top of the front door.

"A golden labrador retriever," Mami identifies. "Kyoko.. have you been taking care of this dog ever since we separated?"

Once Mami takes note of the dog pinning Kyoko down and licking her face to its hearts content, she starts to laugh as if she had already found her answer.

"H-Hey! Why are you laughing?"

Mami kneels to Kyoko's level and hugs her kouhai from behind. "I was worried about you for the longest time. Since that day, I thought that you would never be the same. But Kyoko Sakura.. you haven't changed at all. I'm so glad.."

A plethora of wandering thoughts course through Mami's mind as she continues to embrace Kyoko. Among them is one dominant thought: She may have never gathered the courage to confront her best friend like this if it were not for the influence of her new friend. Because of this, Mami Tomoe is grateful.

* * *

_Author's Notes_

_The segment between "Before the Meeting," and "After the Meeting," is a short summary of an event that occurred in my larger project, "The Road Paved in Concepts." This story is a one-shot and the chapter to follow is a preview of sorts to the aforementioned project. Thanks for reading this excerpt. Here's to hoping that any of it made sense!_


	2. Project Concept Road - Text Trailer

_Darkness is the beginning and the end.. There is no escaping this inevitability!_

…

A random final boss from the roleplaying games that I used to play would say a clichéd line like that before executing one of its signature moves against the hero's party. And then the heroes would continue to fight regardless of whether or not the enemy made any sense.

I made sure to finish off every villain I worked my way towards back then.. But the more enemies I thwarted, the more my own personal darkness grew.. and eventually that darkness overwhelmed me. Sure, that kind of thing happens to people all over the world, and there are many ways to overcome the darkness by fighting, but I just couldn't be bothered with the mechanics of the so-called real world. As a result, I chose the darkness. In retrospect that would mean that all the villains I defeated back then actually won. I've underestimated them...

That's all in the past now. All that is left to do now is head towards the new beginning. Someone like me cannot expect much for the future, or anything at all for that matter. I came to this point fully aware of this much.

…

Several blunt pressures are suddenly applied to me from all sides like what chastising voices from a public crowd can do to a person's feelings – they band together and form one giant combo that utterly buries the victim alive. Apparently I can move this barricade until I see a piercing light. Light? There is light already? I hurriedly try to throw off the rest of the junk to assess the situation only to find out that not only have I reached an unknown territory, but there is someone else helping me with my troubles. Another minute and my vision will adjust to this area, allowing me to see who is there. Anticipation guides my every emotion until the last moment...

An absurdly familiar girl decorated in several shades of lavender waited for my eyes to regain focus. As we laid eyes on each other for the very first time, one clear question came to mind:

"Am I seriously in heaven?"

I visibly perplexed the girl by my loud thoughts. Her response came moments later.

"If you can reach Nirvana from simply reading, then yes."

That's right. The surroundings are a dead giveaway towards my whereabouts. Endless shelves of books surround me with their intimidating heights. The dozens of disheveled books that surround me were piled on top of me moments ago. This is definitely a gigantic library that is part of a large mansion. And as for the sole being before me..

"Patchouli Knowledge.."

* * *

[BGM~Nz_PBDWiYN0 - "Brave New World"]

**Project Concept Road: A ongoing fanfiction by the NHK Ambassador**

"I am Louis Starsky, age nineteen. For whatever reason, I can travel to dimensions that are considered fictional. In other words, I can now see the many worlds that lie within my imagination. But if that is the case... then what is reality?"

**Starring: Louis Starsky (Original Character)**

"This is the library of the Scarlet Devil Mansion owned by Remilia Scarlet. Wait, this is impossible.. Gensokyo is a fiction! And even if it's not..."

Patchouli takes her left index finger and pushes up the skin between her eyebrows as if she were adjusting invisible eyeglasses. Her next statement came shortly after.

"Someone like you... I want to know more about you and your origin."

**Starring: Patchouli Knowledge (Touhou Project)**

"This encounter was the start of an adventure unlike any I could imagine. The characters I used to control and the animated characters I used to watch have become people who I can actually talk to. The world maps I explored and dungeons I've cleared in various video games have become places I can see first-hand. But why me..? Who would choose me for something like this..?"

**Join Louis Starsky and Patchouli Knowledge in their adventures through several known and loved universes!**

* * *

_A blond-haired magical girl with two curly pigtails and old-fashioned attire points a classic musket at a small, adorable creature; it has cute red ears and large beady eyes._

"Now then.. time to get to work."

* * *

_A giant red hat materializes from a dense area of glitter. Two purple, pointy ears poke out from holes on its sides. Suddenly, a plum-colored girl with long, purple hair springs out from underneath._

"Never look a tulip in the eye..."

* * *

_A neon-orange spirit of a young gladiator basks in an aura of radiant energy. An armor-clad female warrior with dark skin and a light ponytail stands in front of it. Her large polearm glows with a similar radiant energy. _

"I'll need much more power if I plan to get what I want."

* * *

**Witness tons of natural and unexpected crossovers all in one evolving story!**

...

_A full-moon shines down on two youthful looking vampires. The doll-looking one with a frilly cap and short, blue hair grins eagerly at the blonde-haired vampire clad in black. The latter is accompanied by a tall, green-haired female android._

...

_A blonde-haired female magician in black & white witch clothing eyes a large green emerald. An odd red creature wearing spiky white gloves burrows from underground and parks in front of her just as she was about to reach for the large jewel. The look on his face clearly wants the girl to back off._

...

_A young male warrior with blue garments and red, spiky hair conjures particles of light around him. The energy expands into a dense, luminous sphere. His opponent is another male warrior wearing a long green hat and green garments. He contests the luminous energy with a dense fire-based energy sphere of his own._

* * *

**Try to discover the mystery that ties this grand journey together!**

"Of all the places I could wind up, why does this place have to be one of them?"

_A younger Louis Starsky presents a crude drawing of a young girl to a large tree. A gust of wind swipes the drawing from his hand and sends it high above his reach much to his dismay._

...

"I assume that eventually, the answer to that will present itself to you. The question is this: Is that something that you really want to find out?"

_As Louis holds a hand to his chest to generate a Spell Card from his heart, the power of the artifact sends him to his knees. During his sudden spell of fatigue, a large brimstone tower begins to develop around him. The tower quickly begins to encase him in a section of darkness._

"Not really, but I'll always be curious though."

* * *

**Season Two will begin in April!**

"I mean... How does someone like me deserve to have this kind of adventure? I fail to understand the logic. Regardless, even if this is all some sort of dream... I hope I won't be waking up anytime soon."


End file.
